Written by Jonathan Wojcik

So, we know a Hocus is a witch's hat with legs, but what's a Pocus? A witch's cauldron with legs, of course! "H" for hat, "P" for pot. Stalactite, stalagmite. Cauldrons with feet have actually been around a lot longer than their cranial counterparts, and some years, they're a whole lot easier to come by, but similarly never recognized as a type of "monster." I say something is at least definitely a monster if it has anything resembling either a face or appendages, though even that's not really a requirement.

So, first thing's first: where does a Pocus originate? We all know witches create new spells exactly the same way you create soup, by throwing all kinds of stuff into a boiling pot of sludge, so obviously there's going to be a lot of residual magic in a witch's cauldron over time. It's probably important to clear all that out every now and then, or maybe get a nice new cauldron, before it either springs to life all on its own or, like one of our Hocus theories, actually "absorbs" or "swallows" the unwary witch. This would make the Pocus another "botched evolution" of the typical witch, the Sukamon to the Hocus's Numemon. It's your own fault if you're not Digimon-savvy.

There's gotta more to a Pocus than just a cute pair of shoes, though, and if it ate someone already, it probably craves more. Another tasty witch is probably preferred, and probably increases a Pocus's power, but just about anyone will do for a light snack. Like some sort of mobile, magical pitcher plant, it probably prefers to lie in wait and use its magic to lure potential prey right into its literal cast-iron-stomach, filling up with what appears to be gold, candy, or just about anything its victim might desire. Probably usually candy, though, because nothing's more delicious to any given Halloween monster and especially to witches than a hungry human child with a sweet tooth.

A Pocus is probably capable of modifying its appearance to at least some degree. While still generally confined to the form of an iron pot, it can perhaps alter its colors and textures almost like an octopus, blending in with ordinary cookware or flashing vibrant colors to entice potential victims. Incapable of audible speech, it would communicate mostly through lettering, symbols and animated images across its surface.

Like Hocuses, Pocuses would often be employed by more powerful witches as minions, though care would have to be taken not to become one of the monster's next meals. Often, a witch might even continue to use a tamed or magically bound Pocus as her brewing cauldron, creating far more potent spells at the risk of a far hungrier, more dangerous, more intelligent Pocus.

Personality-wise, the Pocus seems like it would be almost the opposite of the Hocus. Still probably bonkers, but a whole lot slower and calmer than the bouncing, giggling hats. If a Hocus were comparable to Spongebob - or Ren Hoek, depending on your preferred Nickelodeon era - a Pocus is probably closer to Patrick or Stimpy, though its air of oafishness likely belies a devilishly deranged brilliance.